The present invention relates to a wound treatment apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wound treatment apparatus for treatment of surface wounds.
Medical professionals such as nurses and doctors routinely treat patients having surface wounds of varying size, shape, and severity. Variations in wound type and other patient indications dictate variations in desired medications for treatment, such as antibiotics, growth factors, enzymes, hormones, insulin, anesthetics, and the like. The nature of a wound further prescribes variations in treatment protocols, such as delivery rates for medication and temperature control.
It is known that controlling the topical atmosphere adjacent a surface wound can enhance the healing process of the wound, for example by manipulating the oxygen content and/or humidity, or by providing hyperbaric oxygen as part of a treatment protocol, or by introducing medicinal agents adjacent the wound surface. See, for example, Madalene C. Y. Heng, Topical Hyperbaric Therapy for Problem Skin Wounds, 19 J. DERMATOL. SURG. ONCOL. 784 (1993); Theodor Kaufinan, M. D., et al., The Microclimate Chamber: The Effect of Continuous Topical Administration of 96% Oxygen and 75% Relative Humidity on the Healing Rate of Experimental Deep Burns, 23 J. TRAUMA 807 (1983); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,881 to Viesturs, entitled xe2x80x9cDisposable Hyperbaric Oxygen Dressing.xe2x80x9d The medical industry would benefit from a practical system for surface wound treatment that provides medical professionals with a flexible way to control the topical atmosphere adjacent the wound, including application of aerosol medications and atmospheric constituents such as oxygen, as well as providing for collection of drainage from the wound site.
Several publications establish that surgeons were active years ago in applying a bandage or cover over a wound to provide a vacuum space above the wound to enhance healing. Nevertheless, Wake Forest University inventors, while not citing the publications, disclosed a vacuum wound therapy in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,645,081 and 5,636,643.
Conventional treatment of a surface wound typically involves placement of a packing or dressing material, such as cotton gauze, directly in contact with the patient""s wound. Often there is a need to change the dressing material frequently because it becomes saturated with effluent material discharged from the wound. The frequency of the need to change the dressing can increase when the care giver applies fluids to the dressing such as a saline solution, peroxide, topical antibiotics, or other medicines dictated by various treatment protocols for different types of wounds.
Changing a wound dressing poses several potential problems for the care giver. Inadvertent contact with sensitive tissue within and adjacent the wound can cause significant discomfort to the patient as well as further trauma to the wound. Exposing the wound to the open atmosphere can increase the chance of infection. Dressings are typically secured in place with adhesives, and thus changing the dressing requires removing the adhesive from the patient""s skin, posing risks of pain and trauma to the patient, especially if there is necrotic tissue. Similarly, the dressing material can bind with tissue within the wound, so that changing the dressing can cause tissue loss from the wound, resulting in pain to the patient and retarding the healing process. Medical care givers and patients both would benefit from a bandage system that provides sanitary collection and disposal of material discharged from a wound in the course of the treatment and healing process while reducing the need to remove dressing or packing material placed in contact with the wound.
According to various features, characteristics, embodiments and alternatives of the present invention which will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds below, the present invention provides a wound treatment apparatus which includes a bandage configured to cover a wound and a seal about the perimeter of the wound. The bandage provides a cavity over the wound with a fluid supply and a fluid drainage in communication with the cavity. This cavity may be maintained at less than atmospheric pressure to enhance healing as known in the prior art. The present invention comprises enhancements to the prior art.
The wound treatment apparatus, for example, includes a first bandage configured to cover a wound. The first bandage includes a first surface configured to face toward the wound, at least one fluid delivery passageway through the first surface, at least one fluid drainage passageway through the first surface and fluid delivery conduit in communication with the fluid delivery passageway. The apparatus also includes a second bandage coupled with the first bandage. The second bandage includes a second surface configured to face toward the first bandage and provide a fluid space between the surfaces and has a fluid drainage conduit in communication with the fluid drainage passageway.
Another embodiment of the wound treatment apparatus includes a bandage including a wound facing surface configured to face toward the wound and a fluid drainage passageway having an opening adjacent the wound facing surface. A fluid drainage tube is coupled to the fluid drainage passageway. First and second fluid drainage receptacles are coupled to the drainage tube. First and second valves are coupled between the fluid drainage tube and the first and second fluid drainage receptacles, respectively.
An additional embodiment of the wound treatment apparatus includes a cover bandage configured to cover a wound and provide a seal on healthy skin tissue about the perimeter of the wound. The cover provides a relatively closed space about the wound which may be held at negative pressure. A fluid supply conduit is fitted between the cover bandage and healthy skin tissue near the wound. A fluid drainage conduit having at least one fluid drainage opening is fitted between the cover bandage and the healthy skin tissue and positioned on healthy skin tissue about the wound and the fluid supply.
A further embodiment of the wound treatment apparatus includes a cover bandage providing a closed seal about a wound and a relatively closed cavity over the wound to be held at a negative pressure. The cover bandage includes a first surface configured to face toward the wound having least one fluid delivery passageway disposed through the first surface, and at least one fluid drainage passageway disposed through the first surface. A second surface is configured to face toward the first surface and provide a fluid space between the surfaces. The fluid space is segregated into a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein the first chamber is formed about the fluid delivery passageway and the second chamber is formed about the fluid drainage passageway. A fluid delivery conduit is in fluid communication with the first chamber and the fluid delivery passageway. A fluid drainage conduit has at least one fluid drainage opening in fluid communication with the second chamber and the fluid drainage passageway.
A still further wound treatment apparatus includes a cover bandage providing a closed seal about a wound positioned on a joint having a cavity over the wound sized to receive the joint and to be held at a negative pressure. The cover bandage includes a first surface configured to face toward the wound, at least one fluid delivery passageway through the first surface, and a second surface configured to face toward the first surface providing a fluid space between the surfaces. A fluid delivery conduit is in fluid communication with the fluid space and the fluid delivery passageway. A fluid drainage conduit having at least one fluid drainage opening is also in fluid communication with the cavity.
Within the present invention, in combination with such a cover bandage, the fluid delivery to the wound may include nebulizers, liquid medication pumps, recirculating temperature regulated fluid tubes, heaters, temperature and pressure sensors, control valves, oxygen supplies, and controllers as described and claimed hereinafter. All of these features, including the vacuum feature, may be programmed to occur on prearranged schedules to deliver care-giver established protocols.
Additional features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.